Thompson's Point

On a once overlooked piece of land that juts out into the Fore River in the heart of Portland, Maine sits Thompson’s Point, a development like no other. The site has a rich, industrial past centered around the shipping and railroad industries. It was the port terminus of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal in the 19th century. In the early 20th century, the site served as a transfer point between rail cars and Portland’s busy shipyard. The railyard on Thompson’s Point was a state-of-the-art hub for the repair of locomotive engines; it boasted Maine’s first electric crane. The decline of rail and shipping in the early- and mid- 20th century led to the eventual demolition of many of the railyard buildings. Only two of the original rail yard buildings remain at the Northern end of the Point: the Car Repair Shop/Planing Mill and the Machine Shop. By the 1940’s, the once bustling area was relegated to industrial manufacturing and storage, and infrastructure fell into disrepair. But as Maine’s largest city has grown and been revitalized as a destination for tourists, creatives, immigrants, and entrepreneurs, Thompson’s Point has seen a reincarnation as a hub of creative activity: brewers, restaurateurs, designers, musicians, and makers have set up shop in the site’s once forgotten buildings. This 2.25 million square feet of land at the burgeoning edge of the city is poised to become a new center for residential and commercial activity, with plans for a hotel, children’s museum, recreational opportunities that take advantage of the water and trails nearby, homes, office spaces, and shared green space. When we are asked why do this–why now–we keep coming back to the same answer: the time is right, the time is now. Our vision is to create a live/work/learn environment that is open to all.